Astaxanthin: Sources, Properties and Benefits

Abstract

Astaxanthin is a lipid-soluble orange-red pigment in the family of the xanthophylls, which are the oxygenated derivatives of carotenoids, including β-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, canthaxanthin, and lutein. Its molecular structure is similar to β-carotene and other carotenoids, but it does not have the biological activity of pro-vitamin A in the human body. Astaxanthin can be found in microalgae, yeast, bacteria, phytoplankton, a few fungi, and marine animals, such as Haematococcus pluvialis, Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous, Agrobacterium aurantiacum, Chlorococcum sp., salmon, lobster, shrimp, crustacean, and red sea bream. The main application of astaxanthin in the aquaculture industry is used as a food colorant in fish feed to provide the desirable reddish-orange pigmentation in crustacean and farmed fish. Many studies demonstrated that astaxanthin had shown a variety of its biological activities and health benefits, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptosis, anticancer, anti-obesity, anti-diabetes, and cardioprotection. The special structure of astaxanthin not only shows potential antioxidant capacity but also allows it to pass through the cell membrane to display potent antioxidant activity inside and outside the cell. This chapter will discuss the physical and chemical properties of astaxanthin, the sources of astaxanthin, extraction and isolation of astaxanthin, its aquaculture application, astaxanthin biological activities in human health, and its benefits in mammals and chickens.